Evaluation of Influencing Factors on Tubal Sterilization Regret: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the menstrual pattern, sexual function, and anxiety, and depression in women with poststerilization regret, and potential influencing factors for regret following TL in Iranian women. MaterialsAndMethods In this cross-sectional study, 166 women with TL were subdivided into two groups including women with poststerilization regret (n=41) and women without poststerilization regret (n=125). They were selected from a health care center in Guilan province (Iran) during 2015-2016. Menstrual blood loss was measured using the Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart (PBLAC) and through a self-administered questionnaire. In addition, sexual function was assessed by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and psychological distress was measured by employing the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Student’s t-test and Chi-square test were used to reveal the statistical differences between the two groups. We used logistic regression to determine the influencing factors associated with regretting sterilization. Results Women with poststerilization regret had more menorrhagia (78% versus 57.6%; P=0.03) than those who did not regret sterilization. A significant difference was found in sexual dysfunction in orgasm (P=0.02), satisfaction (P=0.004), pain (P=0.02), and total FSFI scores (P=0.007) between the two groups. Also there was a significant difference between the two groups in anxiety, depression and total scores HADS (P=0.01). In the logistic regression model, age of sterilization (OR=2.67,CI:1.03-7.81; P=0.04), pre-sterilization counseling (OR=19.92, CI:6.61-59.99; P